DragonRider
by Errie Wyvern
Summary: Rogue was a servent from Westchester, New York. Logan was a prince from a far away land. With the help of a dragon and a hunt, they found each other.
1. In Which We Meet the Rider

Title: DragonRider Part 1/?  
Author: Errie  
Rating: Right now, I'd say about PG  
Summary: Rogue and Aneka recall how they met, and Rogue recalls   
why she is out there in the first place.   
Jean gets up the courage to go downstairs to meet Logan and Scott, suitors.   
Dedication: To Anita K. Blake, thanks for managing my site, Donna Bevan, just because, and   
all the other curly haired people on the list!  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except anything that is unfamiliar, and the concept. Everything else belongs to who   
ever and whatever that is against my happiness. I want a Wolvie too!  
Archiving: Right now, I just want this archived at Anita K. Blake's site, http://x-menfanfic.50megs.com   
  
DragonRider looked out over the tall trees that lined the glade in Westchester. Or rather, near Westchester.   
Marie frowned as she remembered her last encounter in the great mansion of King Xavier and his huffy daughter, Jean.  
  
"Get out of here, you scruffy mongrel!" Yelled Jean after Rogue   
accidentally spilled wine all over the princess's good burgundy dress.   
  
"But your Majesty, I meant no harm, it's just that you told me to go get   
the wine and then your dog tripped me…" Marie started.  
  
"I care not what my dog did, she's just a puppy, and it was all your fault! You   
are a clumsy servant who can't do anything right!"  
  
Marie snorted. Jean Gray Xavier certainly was a huffy little creature. Marie   
was better off not being anyone's slave or servant. She liked the free life much better.   
And she liked being DragonRider the Rogue much better than being Marie the   
Simple Servant. It was a much better life.  
  
She sighed and looked down at the ashes that were all that remained of the   
sycamore log that she had placed there last night. The ashes were gray and   
dusty. She picked up a twig and idly made patterns in the dust.  
  
DragonRider tossed a glance down at her dragon friend, Aneka.   
She smiled and remembered their first meeting.  
  
"AHHHHHH!" yelled Marie. She stumbled backwards, away from the   
scaly creature known only as a dragon.  
  
"Whot's all this 'owllen about Missy? Oi'm jus' a po'r litt'e   
creture out 'ere in the's woods and not." The female dragon had   
looked mystified at the young girl sprawled in a heap in a pile of dead oak leaves.   
  
"Will you stop with the phony accent?" Marie had managed to squeak out.   
  
"Very well then. Time for me to introduce myself. I be Aneka, and this   
forest be my protectorate. Now, young 'un, mind telling me who you are   
and why you are trespassing on my land?" The dragon squinted one large eye at Marie.  
  
Marie shuddered and tried to think of something to say. She couldn't   
very well go up and say,' Hi, my name is Marie the lowly servant. Do you want to   
be friends, great Aneka?'. That dragon would swallow her whole! She licked her   
lips, then got up and said," I am Rogue, the DragonRider. My dragon is no   
longer here with me, so would you mind being my friend and mode of transportation?"  
  
Rogue chided herself for being so brazen. She knew that she shouldn't have asked   
that straight out. But she had been so desperate, and there were no other names that she could think of, and…  
  
"Mmmm, Rogue, darling, is that you stirring those long-dead ashes in the   
fireplace?" Aneka mumbled in her own 'I'm-half-awake-leave-me-alone-and-stop-all-that-racket' way.   
  
Marie chuckled and replied," You've got to get up now Aneka. We've got to be long gone by the time anyone starts looking for us now."  
  
Aneka sighed and rolled over. She really didn't want to get up this morning.   
She just lay there, listening to DragonRider picking up her blanket and bag   
and clothes and such. The gentle giant thought about Rogue for a moment.  
  
When Aneka had first seen the brown haired beauty, she had been all tired looking   
and travel worn. Those curious white streaks that now shot through her mahogany   
tresses like ice had been plaited back against her skull. Her wood-brown hair that was now so   
shiny had been matted with a thousand knots and a million snarls.   
  
Her soft beech-wood eyes had been frightened like a wild rabbits.   
Now they were warm with love and laughter. Aneka gave a horse-like snort.   
It was nice to know that SHE was the source for that laughter. Even her skin had   
been flawed. There were scratch marks along her feet, legs, hands, and arms from the briar thickets that   
she had clawed her way through. Her back was marred with many scars from whips   
that she would not speak of.   
  
Her clothes had consisted of nothing more than an old torn green tunic that barely reached her knees   
and a ripped and shredded skirt made of a dark gold fabric. There were no shoes, gloves,   
or hat for this frightened little child. Aneka finally complied with her friend's gestures and got onto her massive feet.  
Marie finally got her dragon to her feet. She looked at her reflection pool and saw the same   
old Marie: brown eyes, brown hair with those awful streaks that marked her as a servant, nose, lips, and neck.   
She knew that the scars were still there; those horrible, bumpy reminders that she had once been   
lower than a servant, she had been a slave.   
  
But now she had Aneka. Aneka would protect her from all the evil and   
painful things back in Westchester. Aneka was a loving soul. Marie smiled when   
she thought of her towering friend; Aneka was over 9ft tall. But there were   
scales that covered every inch of her. Purple on her main body, green on her underside,   
and gold on the leathery skin that made up the webbing on her wings.   
Her claws were like onyx daggers, they had pierced many a deer's flesh for supper. But now it was time to put   
the golden webbing to the test.  
  
"Aneka, are you ready to take to the skies?" Marie called.  
  
"As ready as ever, my young striped friend!" Marie winced slightly at the mention of the   
streaks that had been cruelly burned into her hair. Aneka looked at her questionably, but Marie   
just shrugged it off. She tugged at her friend's lowered wings, and the dragon scooped   
the girl onto her back. Then they flew.  
  
  
Jean was feeling awful. She had just thrown out the hardest-working servant   
she had ever owned, and now she had nothing to wear to the important   
banquet tonight! She ran a perfectly manicured hand through her tousled red hair.   
  
"Jean, Jean are you in there?"   
  
Her eyes widened. That was her father! Oh dear, where could she go? There   
was no escape from this room except the window and the servant entrance. She had no   
wings to fly, nor could she take the servant way, she'd be lost in moment!   
  
"Umm, yes Father, I am here. But I have no dress on! You cannot come in!"  
  
"Alright dear, but Jean, you must come down here as soon as possible. There are two nice   
young men I would like you to meet."  
  
"Certainly Father. I shall be down momentarily." Jean said. She thought,' Oh, no!   
No more suitors, please! I cannot take it anymore! I don't want to be married now. Besides,   
all the suitors he shows me are fat old men.'  
  
Jean went to her armoire and opened the great cherry-wood doors with   
the brass handles. Inside were countless dresses, shoes, stockings, and underthings.   
Miss Xavier stared at the things for a moment before calling a servant to help her. "Ororo, get up here now!"   
Instantly, a young black girl with shocking white hair burst through the servant entrance.   
  
"Are you well, madam? Is there anything I can get you?" Ororo said, breathless.  
  
"Of course there is something you can do for me, Ororo. I need help   
dressing. Father has some new suitors downstairs for me to meet."  
  
Ororo bowed and instantly went through Jean's things. She held up an emerald green  
gown with real emeralds sewn onto the bodice. Jean nodded and   
Ororo gather the things she needed. First Jean got the basic underthings on. Then she   
slipped on the stockings and green leather shoes. Then she slipped into the dress, Ororo pulling the strings tight.  
Ororo put an emerald necklace around Jean's neck and twirled her hair expertly   
into a bun and studded it with jewels here and there.  
  
Jean looked breathtaking by the time the whole thing was over.   
Ororo glanced at the royalty and nodded to herself, congratulating   
herself on her fine artwork. Jean gave a shaky breath and   
dismissed the slave, "You may go attend your other duties, Ororo."  
  
Ororo nodded again and slipped silently out the exit. Jean was   
left alone to dwell on her thoughts.   
  



	2. In which we meet the Wyvern

Title: DragonRider Part 2/?  
Author: Errie  
Rating: Right now, I'd say about PG  
Summary: Logan and Scott meet Jean, while Rogue and Aneka get a new friend.   
Dedication: To Rachel Aaron, I hope you feel better!, Anita K. Blake,   
she is the coolest!, and everyone who complimented on the first part of   
DragonRider!  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except anything that is unfamiliar, and the concept.   
Everything   
else belongs to who ever and whatever that is against my happiness. I want a   
Wolvie too!  
Archiving: Right now, I just want this archived at Anita K. Blake's site,   
http://x-menfanfic.50megs.com   
  
Logan was pulling at the velvet collar of his burgundy tunic. He hated these   
things. He would much   
prefer to put on a pair of leather hunting, as they were called there, pants and   
go bare chested through the forest.   
  
But that was not an option here. He had to stay with his sissy brother   
Scott in the mansion of King Xavier. True, he wanted to meet the lovely   
Princess Jean, but did he have to sit here in this uncomfortable oak chair,   
in this huge house, next to his brother, just to meet her?  
  
Just then, an exotic slave ran through the corridor. At least, she looked   
like a slave. She skidded to a halt and bowed to King Xavier   
and Logan and Scott.   
  
"Sir, you wished to speak to me?" the white-haired girl said to the old man.  
  
"Yes, Ororo, I do believe I did. These are noblemen, Scott and Logan."   
Xavier said, nodding to each in turn.  
  
Ororo bowed to them again. Logan looked a little closer at her hair   
and discovered that there were two bright white bangs that faded into   
the rest of her pearly mane.   
  
Ororo took that precise moment to look up and catch Logan's   
eyes on her. She gave a faint blush on her dark brown   
cheeks and turned her almost black eyes downward.   
  
Another slave ran in as well. It was a female, and she was of Asian descent.   
That was easy enough to see in her slanted chestnut eyes and cropped black   
hair. She gave Ororo's arm a tug and whispered something in her ear.   
Ororo drew back, looking startled, but the other girl just tugged harder   
on her arm.  
  
Xavier cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow at the other girl.   
"Jubilee, are you forgetting what we do when we have guests?" The girl,   
Jubilee apparently, snapped her head up and looked at him, then   
at the boys. She bowed shortly and wrenched Ororo off her feet. They ran   
down the hallway together.  
  
Logan was still sitting in the hard oak chair, being just as uncomfortable   
as was possible. Scott looked perfectly natural, just sitting there, waiting   
for   
that one girl, Jean, to come down. She had better be worth it.  
  
Just then, a lovely figure came down the stairs. Jean.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
DragonRider held on tightly as possible to Aneka, yelling at the top   
of her lungs. She was flying and there was nothing in her way now! Nothing   
to stop her from doing what she wanted to do, wearing what she wanted to   
wear, and going after whoever she wanted to go after. It was great!  
  
"Rogue, darling, I do think that we should stop soon, don't you?" And   
Aneka had such an odd way of speaking. It was almost like she had never   
been hatched and brought up on Kavarila, their planet. Dragons   
flew in flocks around them. Not the big kind, like Aneka, but a smaller kind,   
a wyvern.   
  
Wyverns were very common on Kavarila. The males were a dull white in   
winter and fall, but burst into a brilliant ruby red in spring and summer. Male   
wyvern skins were very popular in summer and spring. Wyvern   
hunts were organized at the tale end of winter, when the males were turning a   
light pink. The skins were made into hats and clothes that no one needed.   
  
Female wyverns were a shiny snow white in winter, brown in   
fall, light peridot green in spring, and a deep emerald green in summer. It was   
popular to hunt them when all the young ones were grown. They   
were smaller than the males and therefore quicker. It took a lot to bring down   
a female wyvern.   
  
It was even more rare to have any wyvern as a pet. They did not   
take kindly to captivity. Wyverns loved their freedom. They roamed   
mainly forests and places with lots of cover. They had to have places to   
hide during the day, when they slept, and lots of places to sneak during   
the night, when they hunted. Every wyvern that had been taken against its   
will had died within 72 hours.  
  
Rogue was still flying free, clutching Aneka's thick golden brown mane.   
The giant lizard shook her massive head to move away the forelocks that   
were getting into her huge black eyes. She gave a loud, hearty laugh.   
  
A small red wyvern landed on Rogue's shoulder. It blinked its large green eyes   
at her and then stared straight ahead. She was awed at the small creature   
sitting   
upon her shoulder. Wyverns almost never stayed with a human upon their own   
free will. It was next to unheard of.   
  
Aneka swooped down suddenly, her mane flying and glittering in the sunlight.   
The tiny red wyvern clutched Rogue's shoulder almost painfully with his dark   
claws. She winced as his claws started to shred her already shredded green   
tunic. Rogue almost whimpered as her golden skirt-clad legs squeezed Aneka's   
purple sides.   
  
They landed in a small clearing. The red wyvern flew off Rogue   
and landed on a fallen tree trunk. It chirped at her. Then it stared at her   
for a   
moment, wondering why she didn't just fly off the big dragon too.   
  
Aneka reached over and gently lifted Rogue with her teeth. The large dragon   
set her gently onto the ground, giving her support with her large muzzle and   
warming her with her breath until she could stand again.   
  
"It looks like you've picked up a little friend while we were amongst the   
clouds,   
hmmm?" Rogue looked up, startled. Aneka was sniffing the small wyvern,   
checking him out.  
  
"Well, it wasn't like it was my decision, mind you. I was just sittin' there,   
happy as a Duaa*, when this little guy came and practically took out my   
shoulder."  
(*Duaa- native animal to Kavarila, looks like an antelope crossed with a unicorn   
and a dragon. They are very peaceful creatures.)  
  
Aneka snorted and looked at the small red creature. It stared back at her   
through its large green eyes. She looked away for a moment, and looked   
inquisitively at Rogue. "Well?" she demanded.  
  
"Well what?"   
  
"You know."  
  
"No I don't."  
  
Aneka looked exasperated for a moment, then she sighed and made her   
question a little less broad. "What are you going to name him?"  
  
Rogue looked taken aback. "I get to name him?"   
  
"Why do you always have to answer me with a question?"   
  
"Oh. Umm, sorry?" She sounded unsure, but Aneka could practically see the   
wheels turning in her head. "How about…"  
  
~~~~****~~~~  
  
Logan stared in awe. Jean was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.   
She almost seemed to glow in the late afternoon sun. Her hair was like a pile   
of flame, tamed by the highest powers and spun into hair just for Jean.   
  
Scott felt much the same way. His throat was dry, and it was all he could do   
not to stare. She was gorgeous. Any fool could see that. And Scott was higher   
than a fool, so he could see her radiance very well.   
  
Logan was staring at her as well, so Scott figured that there might be a   
little bit of a fight over the lovely Jean Gray Xavier in the future. For now,   
however,  
he was content to sit beside Logan and stare.  
  
~~~~~******~~~~~~  
  
Next-Logan and Scott finally stop staring and actually say hi to Jean, while   
Rogue,   
Aneka, and their newfound companion (You'll find out his name in the next part.)   
go   
out and have some fun with the villagers of Dana's Fox, a small rural village.   
Can you   
figure out my joke in the village title?   



	3. In Which We See Aneka Breathe Fire

Title: DragonRider Part 3/?  
Author: Errie  
Rating: Right now, I'd say about PG  
Summary: Rouge, Aneka, and their little friend find a village, while Scott and   
Logan court Jean.  
Dedication: To my horny little kitten Topaz, victoria p., and Lozz.   
Just because. ;)  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except anything that is unfamiliar, and   
the concept. Everything else belongs to who ever and whatever that is   
against my happiness. I want a Wolvie too!  
  
Rogue trudged up the hill, casting death glances at the sky, aimed at the   
dark shape of Aneka flying overhead. The dragon told Rogue that she   
needed her exercise and that she should walk for a mile or two. At least   
the wyvern had come with her. He didn't want to take to the skies if she   
didn't.   
  
She looked down fondly at the little creature. He was still that   
brilliant red, although it was fading. He would be a dusty white soon   
enough. Then his green eyes would be very noticeable. She had decided   
to name him something that was royal, regal, and yet still sounded   
pleasant to one's ear. She named him Newcastle.   
  
Newcastle was trotting along beside her, his onyx claws   
leaving large marks in the earth. He carried his bulky wings easily,   
folding them over his shoulders like some sort of wyvern cloak. His   
eyes were constantly moving, looking for danger. She could tell that   
his ears were alert as well.   
  
Aneka suddenly swooped down, close to the earth,   
and yelled, "Village ahoy!" then swooped up again.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Scott was sitting in a small room, on a medium birch chair,   
grinding his teeth in silence. There was nothing in that room, save   
the chair and the packed earth that made up the walls.   
  
He was grinding his teeth because Logan was courting Jean. Tonight   
was Logan's night. Tomorrow was Scott's. Scott was upset for   
a number of reasons, the least of which had to do with the disturbing   
news they had received from Dana's Fox, a small rural village on the north   
bank of the Tefflagon river. Despite it's size, the village was known world   
round for its animal hybrids.   
  
Scott was thinking about the news from the northern village.   
It seemed that a large dragon and its rider had attacked them earlier. Along   
with them was a wyvern hybrid. A land air hybrid. That was the   
Dana's Fox specialty. He was puzzled, especially since the DragonRider   
had two white streaks in her hair. The sounded suspiciously like a slave or   
servant from here. He was very worried that a slave had escaped from   
the village. He then wondered what a slave was doing 50 clicks from   
Westchester.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Rogue was wondering which village Aneka had sighted when the   
wyvern suddenly stiffened and let his claws dig into her shoulder. She made   
a pained face and gently removed his dagger-sharp claws from her   
now broken skin. She winced at the sight of blood, but her tunic was ruined   
anyway. The wyvern just made a protective circle around her   
shoulders and growled.  
  
She gave Newcastle a light tap on the nose and told him to keep   
his claws to himself. Marie looked up and saw the wrong end of a spear.   
The sharp metal point was glimmering in the late afternoon sun. There was   
a tall man on the other side of that spear. A tall man with brown hair and   
hazel eyes. He was looking at her coldly enough to give her frostbite.   
  
She sort of smiled and said a cautious "Hi", and then he tried   
to run her through with the deadly weapon. She jumped airily away   
and muttered, "Well that's a nice welcome. What are they going to do?   
Give me my own guts in a jar for greeting?" Newcastle gave a wild roar   
worthy of a wolverine and pounced the armed human in animal rage.   
  
The man immediately jumped back and reflexively held his spear   
in front of him. Newcastle was headed straight for the iron spearhead.   
He threw open his wings and started to backpedal furiously. He finally came   
to a stop by grabbing the wooden pole of the spear with all four feet   
and stopping the deadly point just a few inches from his heart.   
  
Rogue ran over and plucked her wyvern from the spear while Aneka   
landed behind her. The large purple dragon flattened her ears and released   
a small stream of fire in the human's direction. He flew to the ground just   
in time to avoid being burned to death.  
  
Aneka scooped up Newcastle and Rogue in her wing while they headed   
in the direction of Dana's Fox.  
  



	4. In Which Logan Smells Rogue

Aneka was mad. It wasn't the kind of mad that you get when, for   
example, you brother or somebody ate the last cookie. It was the   
kind of mad that you got when the life of a loved one was threatened.   
And the lives of Newcastle and Rogue had been threatened.   
  
They had to get to Dana''s Fox, regardless of how their people   
were. Aneka and Newcastle could make a fairly large distraction   
while Rogue went in and stole food, weapons, utilities, and clothes.   
Rogue the DragonRider needed new clothes, and badly. They were   
heading toward cold country, and she needed warm clothes.  
  
And Aneka would let nothing ever again hurt one over her friends.   
Never. Her eyes glowed an ominous green with that promise.   
  
~~~³³³~~~~  
  
Jean had caught wind of the mysterious 'DragonRider'. She was   
putting together the pieces of the girl's appearance. Her large   
green eyes got wide as she realized who DragonRider was, then darkened   
with anger.  
  
"So, the little slave thought she could get away and have a   
dragon to protect her, hmm? Well, I've got news for her. I   
have two strong, brave men who will do anything to win my   
heart. Oh yes, has she ever got a surprise coming." Jean's   
voice got hard as steel and twice as cold.  
  
~~~³³³~~~  
  
Logan had come to the castle earlier, intending to see Jean.   
He could swear that he had fallen for her. He was starting   
to think of flowers and jewelry, just for Jean. Logan was   
walking on clouds when he caught a sniff of something in air.  
  
It was a nice scent, definatly feminine. It wasn't Jean's;   
she smelt of pampering and perfume and dasies. This was   
a stronger smell. It was sweat and pain and roses and sun and   
blood and everything he had ever dreamed of all rolled into one.   
While it was strong, creeping into his nose and brain even while   
he tried to block it out, it was also faint, like the owner of the smell   
had left a long time ago. Or very a very short time ago and someone   
had scraped her scent off the walls and floor.  
  
Logan was still contemplating the scent and who it might of belonged   
to when Jean came walking through the garden. She very gently called   
out "Logan?"   
  
He started quickly, turning and growling at the unkown person. Jean   
looked taken aback and he sighed. "Jean, darlin', was there something   
you wanted to talk to me about?"  
  
~~~³³³~~~ 


	5. In Which We Learn of the Massacre

Title: DragonRider Part 5/?  
  
Author: Errie  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Summary: Newcastle's thoughts on his new family, and Aneka alludes  
  
to what might have happened to make the dragon and wyvern populations so small.  
  
Dedication: To everyone who gave feedback, and to my large amount of boredom, which made me get off my lazy ass and finish this little ditty.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except anything that is unfamiliar, and the concept. Everything else belongs to who ever and whatever that is against my happiness. I want a Wolvie too!  
  
They are odd, the dragon and her rider. They act almost human. Almost. They act more like me at times, like when one is hunting. At others, they act human. The dragon can even speak that foul human tongue! I have gathered bits of information, such as the girl is known as Rogue, and the dragon as Aneka.  
  
The girl, Rogue, has given me a human name, Newcastle. I like it, sort of. Except that I cannot pronounce it. My old name, Lerr, was fair enough among the wyvern population. I was made fun of for the unusual sound, but I got over that. And the wyverns are not as plentiful as we used to be. We are starting to branch off, become more like herds of wild horses. One male leads a pack of females, the males fight over females, and there is designated areas, territory, where others may not cross.  
  
Rogue has treated me well, giving me parts of her food, and even stealing some of Aneka's kill. To repay her, I have been her constant companion, walking when she does, sleeping when she does, and all in all being a guard wyvern.  
  
These creatures are indeed very strange, and they are the cause for my kind's extinction. Not so much the dragon, even though her kind has been known to snack on wyverns from time to time. The human. Her kind has hunted mine for hundreds of years. Our children have grown smaller, faster. I, myself, am less than an eighth the size of a full-grown male wyvern three hundred years ago.  
  
My wings are more delicate, more adapt for flying over trees and through branches. I can fly twenty inches from the ground and still keep up a fair speed. The human and her dragon, however, do not think that I am small for my species. Well, the dragon is old enough. She might remember.  
  
I have known about Aneka since I was hatched. She is legendary among us wyverns. For she is the only one that can remember when we were big enough to fill a large human living space. I can see her age in her eyes. She flies as though she is only a young dragon of seventy years. But her eyes are weighed down with thought. She has betrayed her kind to cross over to the side of humans.  
  
She cannot help it, I suppose. She knows the location to the last nesting place for dragons and wyverns alike. She is the last to remember of Gossamer. We all come to her when we need the location. She'll never tell, only say that Gossamer is lost to us. We cannot venture there now. I can almost imagine that I can see the reason why in her eyes when she speaks.  
  
Well, we all know anyways. That was the place of the last organized nesting. The last time any wyvern and dragon ever trusted the other around their eggs. The last time we didn't fear the humans.  
  
That was the time of the massacre.  
  
~*~  
  
He knows something, that little wyvern. He knows about me. But that's not surprising. All the others do.  
  
Yes, I was at the massacre. I saw my fellow dragons and wyverns slain in cold blood. I ate as many humans as I could that night. Never did it again.  
  
Then again, I never had an egg either. That was to be my first season. I did lay the egg, but I never had it.  
  
The humans.  
  
They ransacked everything. Every dragon, wyvern and egg was dissected, every powerful/useful part of them taken out and shipped to exotic places. India for the hearts and unborn dragons. Russia for the dragon blood and wyvern wings. China for the claws, teeth, bones and shells. The meat for the poor and starving. The hides were shipped everywhere. The humans made money from the massacre. I made revenge from their blood.  
  
I have become a legend in my own right, amongst wyverns and their hunters. I followed everything. I killed all the people that got in my way and some that didn't. I wasn't the first angry dragon they had seen, but I was the first enraged one.  
  
I killed the men, women and children. I demolished towns, cities, temples, churches. I burned everything to the ground. And my roar rang victoriously over the night.  
  
The reason I stopped, the reason I kept Marie, was change. Or lack thereof.  
  
When I came back from my killing spree, nothing had changed; my brothers and sisters where still dead on their sides, the egg shells sill scattered about in a hapzard fashion. It was exactly the same. The deaths of their killers had changed nothing. The dragons and wyverns were still dead. That was all I knew.  
  
I lived for the longest time as 'The One'. The one dragon, the only dragon. Wyverns used to be the size of living rooms, now they were reduced to dogs.  
  
Everything used to be so different. Normal. Now, however, any intentions the humans had have paved the path into this hell.  
  
This nightmare.  
  
And I have to stay here for the rest of my long years.  
  
Always 'The One'. 


	6. In Which We See Ao Fuyu Dance part 1

Summary: Learning more about Jubilee, her mother, her history, and why she isn't considered a slave anymore.  
  
Everyone was gathering in the makeshift amphitheater. It was out in the forest, in a little clearing where several trees grew together to make a somewhat stage. Many years ago, a small group of gathering slaves were trying to find decorative plants to pin in Jean's hair. They had found this spot, and over the course of two years large trees had been felled, hacked up, polished, and made into the little benches that were there now.  
  
It was in this small patch of woods where once a year, the most talented of the slaves was to get up and perform. They usually had constant river of new slaves riding in and out, so talent was never hard to come by. This year, it was one of the founding slaves; one of the eldest to stay in the same spot. Jubilee had been with them for all of her natural life, a total of seventeen years. Her mother was from Jiadi, a geisha of outstanding beauty. Much of it had been passed along to her daughter, including her unusual blue eyes.  
  
Unfortunately, Jubilation's mother had passed when Jubilee was just one month old. Akii had caught a most unfortunate disease which left her totally wasted away. During the time of her decrepitation, she had written down parts of her life, and the indicated names for her prized possession; her daughter.  
  
In geisha custom, there are two names for a geisha; her given name, and the name she is given when she becomes a full-fledged geisha. Akii refused to indulge her given surname, but her first had been Satsu. Later she became Takahishi Akii. She had trained the cook in the ways of the geisha, and begged Marion to teach her daughter everything Akii could not.  
  
Also, Akii had firmly named her daughter Lee Jubilation, after the child's dead father. She had been out of sorts near the end, searching for the perfect geisha name for her perfect geisha daughter. She had choked out, "Ao Fuyu." This name, meaning 'blue winter', was unfit for a human name, let alone a geisha. But the insistent young mother was not to be deterred.  
  
Marion had taken these words to heart, and raised Jubilation for seventeen long years. The girl was excellent at making tea for the tea ceremony, and often did so when guests arrived at the castle. Her singing left much to be desired, but so did Marion's. It was her dancing that made her famous. When she had demonstrated at a dance for the king, using broken plates as fans and a soiled robe for a kimono, he had ordered for her to no longer be a servant, but an entertainer for royal guests.  
  
She had replied, "But sir, am I to entertain in a soiled robe, holding shards of broken cutlery?" To which he laughed and told her of course not, he'd commission a few kimono from Jiadi and corresponding fans to go with them.  
  
So this had started, and now she was going to perform for the first time in front of her friends and makeshift family. The name of her dance was 'Falling Leaves', and was a very graceful dance. Jubilee wore her hair loose for this, something that was uncommon in Jiadi. But she thought that it made her look more like an autumn sprite, dancing amongst the leaves.  
  
The kimono didn't hurt either. It was a deep Tuscan red, with a pattern of leaves around the hem. The obi was very simple, a deep russet tied with a dull yellow ribbon. The fans were painted silk, and huge. Jubilee had a hard time holding onto them sometimes. They were a deep green painted with golden dragons. She took the delicate green silk and tied the cords closer around her wrists.  
  
Jubilee took a slight gulp as stage fright weighed her feet down as though they were made of lead.  
  
With a shout of "Ao Fuyu!" Jubilee went onto stage to make her mother proud. 


End file.
